By Don Mort, local democracy reporting service
More than 1,100 people have signed a petition against the possible sale of a town’s historic municipal building.
As reported by WLD last week, Leeds City Council has confirmed it is looking at options for the sale of Pudsey Town Hall.
The cash-strapped authority said it was costing thousands of pounds a year to maintain the vacant building, which dates back to the late 19th century.
An online petition calling for a halt to the sale and public consultation on the hall’s future has been signed by 1,050 people.
The petition website said: “This is more than just bricks and mortar.
“Pudsey Town Hall is a symbol of our civic pride, our local heritage, and our community’s identity.”
The petition also calls for the creation of a Pudsey Town Council to take on political decision-making in the town.
Built in 1880, the Robin Lane building was the headquarters of Pudsey Urban District Council from 1912-1974.
Non-profit Pudsey Town Hall Community Interest Company (CIC) has been drawing up plans for future use of the building.
But a spokesperson for the city council, which must save more than £100m this financial year, said: “The council can confirm it has decided to explore available options for the sale of Pudsey Town Hall.
“The decision to now explore a possible sale has not been taken lightly but, given our well-documented financial challenges, we must continuously assess all options for our city-wide portfolio of properties.
“Those same challenges mean we are not in a position to indefinitely sustain the cost of maintaining a vacant building, which for the last financial year alone ran into five figures.”
- WLD has been following local and national government cuts in West Leeds via its Cutswatch series here.
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Now over 50 years since Pudsey was “swallowed up” ( under a Tory Government I should add). By Leeds. . . it was that or Bradford. Any vote starting to transfer Pudsey? Talk of a totally independent authority is laughable.
And the Town hall must be amongst the most nondescript ones in the whole of UK. Petition to sell anybody?